Combination cigarette container, lighter, and dispenser



Feb. 29, 1944. MAYER I 2,342,748

COMBINATION CIGARETTE CONTAINER, LIGHTER, -AND DISPENSER Filed May 8, 1941 INVENTOR RlCHARD MAYER BY ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 29, 1944 COMBINATION CIGARETTE CONTAINER,

- LIGHTER, AND DISPENSER Richard Mayer, New Rochelle, N. Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Adolph H. Rosenberg and Leah S.-Rosenberg, both of Clayton, Mo., andSamue-l Rosenberg, University City, Mo.

Application May 8, 1941, Serial No. 392,474

15 Claims.

This invention relates generally to cigarette containers. More particularly, my invention relates to a certain new and useful improvement in combination cigarette containers, lighters, and dispensers especially, though not exclusively, adapted for automobile use, and has for its chief object the provision of a structure of the type and for the purpose stated which may be readily constructed, which is compact and artistic in form and appearance, which may be easily installed upon the automobile, which may be readily filled, which is easily and conveniently operablefor lighting and dispensing the cigarettes successively one by one, which is economical and entirely safe in electrical consumption, and which is eilicient and satisfactory in the performance of its intended functions.

And with the above and other objects inview, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a reduced perspective view of an installed combination cigarette container, lighter, and dispenser constructed in accordance with and embodying my present invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the structure taken approximately on the line 22,

Figure 1, the dispensing member or tray being in retracted, normal, or housed position;

Figure 3 is a fragmental view similar to Figure 2, the dispensing tray, however, being in swingably projected position for delivery ofalighted cigarette;

Figure 4 is an inverted ture;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmental front elevational view of the structure with the dispensing tray in projected position as in Figure. 3,; and

Figure 6 is a sectional view of the structure on aproximately the line 6-6, Figure 2.

Referring now more in detail'and by reference characters to the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention, the structure includes a shell or housingv A uniquely constructed for installation in and upon the inplan view of the strucstrument-board B' of an automobile. To such end, the shell or housing A includes a top wall I, a rear wall 2, a bottom wall'3 projecting obliquely downwardly and forwardly from the rear wall 2, and opposite parallel side walls .4, 4', permanently joining said top, bottom, and rear walls and correspondingly sloping along their ldwer margin, .alllas best seen inFigures .1 ,2, and

the shell top wall I and side walls 4, 4', being laterally and outwardly flanged along their front margins, as at 5, for flatwise abutment and securement against the rear face of the board B, as seen in Figure 2.

At a suitable location intermediate the top wall I and bottom wall 3, the side Walls 4, 4", are suitably formed or provided with registering ways 6, 6, for slidably supporting an ash-drawer or receptacle A, the board'B being, of course, suitably apertured for accommodating the drawer A and the latter having a suitable knob or finger-grip I for conveniently enabling use thereof.

The ways 6, 6, thus, as it may be said, divide the shell A into an upper or ash-drawer compartment a and a lower or cigarette-containing compartment (1', within Whichlatterthe cigarettes C to be lighted and dispensed are conveniently housed, as seen in Figure 2;

As also best seen in Figures 2 and'8, the shell oblique bottom wall 3 is cutaway alongits forward margin to providea mouth or dischargeopening, as at 8, having a width slightly greater than the diametral dimension of a standard cigarette C, and approximately at and below the plane of the discharge-opening 8, the board B, which, in effect, forms the front wall of I the shellcompartment a, is cut away in the provision of an opening 9 for purposes presently appearing, the opening 9 being normally covered and closed by a spring-pulled flap or door In hinged, as at H, upon the board B and providedwith a suitable preferably knob-actuable latch [2 "for engagement with the board B for releasably securing the door I0 in normal closed position orv in the position thereof best seen in Figures 1 and 2. T designates the dispensing tray of the structure, which includes an arcuate main or body portion t and hanger-arms t, the latter'being pivotally'attached, as at l3, to the shell side walls 4, 4', and so located and the parts being so relatively proportioned as to swingably dispose the tray-portion i normally rearwardly of th board B and under the shell A as best seen in Figure 2, and as to swingably project the tray-portion t forwardly and partially through'the opening 9 into dispensing position, as best-seen in Figure 3. Suitably engaging the pivots 13, the shell side flanges 5, and the hanger-arms t", as best seen in Figure 2, are suitable resilient or spring members M for urging-the tray T into projected or dispensing position-the door I 0 being yieldably swung into, and locked by the latch I 2 in, lowered or closure position when the tray T is; and for yieldingly; or releasably retaining the same, in

between the fingers l6, enabling convenient removal of such particular cigarette C when the tray T is in dispensing position, as shown.

Adjacent the bottom wall 3, the shell side walls 4, 4, are provided with closed-end registering slots ll, ll, which are of suitable length and parallel the wall 3 for slidably accommodating tongues l8 oppositely projecting from a plate P disposed within the shell-compartment a for movement over and relatively to the shell bottom,

wall 3. The tongues [8 are suitably elongated to also Work in suitable enlarged openings l3 in the hanger-arms t, so that, under the engage mentof the tongues l8 with the shell A at the slots I1 and with the arms t at the openings [9, the plate P, when the tray T is in normal position, will be disposed rearwardly over the shell bottom wall 3 for both agitating the contained cigarettes C and opening the mouth 8 to permit a single housed cigarette C to roll into and upon the fingers l6, l6, and when the tray T is in projected or dispensing position, will be shifted forwardly and closurewise over th mouth 8 for again agitating the contained cigarettes C and co-operation with the bottom wall 3 in supporting the remaining cigarettes C within the shellcompartment a.

Forming part of tray T, is a side-arm 20, adjacent which the one finger i is cut away to provide a space, at at 21. 2| and presented toward the finger I8, is an electric element E forming part of the lighting means of the structure, the element E being suitably fixed on, but insulated from, the arm and having one side suitably grounded on th automobile. Electrically connected with the other side of the element E, is a conductor 22 having a rearwardly presented yielding extension 23 adapted, when the tray T is in projected, dispensing position, for slidable circuit-closing contact with an arcuate lateral extension 24 of a conducting arm 25 fixed, as at 26, to and upon, and insulated from, the shell A and included by means of a conductor 21 in the circuit, it being, of course, understood that, when the tray T is in normal position, the contact-member with the arm 25, the circuit will be open, and the element E de-energized.

At the opposite side of the tray T, the finger I6 is cut away in its outer end-portion, as at 28, for providing a working-opening or space for the forwardly presented free or yielding end-portion 29 of a spring presser-strip S fixed at its other end, as at 39, to and upon a second or opposite tray-arm 20 and bent upon itself intermediate its opposite end-portions 29, 30, to include an obliquely disposed cam-portion or section 3!, as best seen in Figure 4, for co-operable engagement with a stud 32 fixed upon and projecting from the shell bottom observed that normally, that is to say, when the tray T is in normal retracted position, the strip S will at its cam-portion 3| so engage the stud 32 that its free end-portion 29 will be yieldingly shifted outwardly toward the tray-arm 20'. How-v ever, when the tray T is oscillatorily swung to pro 23 will be out of engagement jected or dispensing position, the strip S will at its cam-portion 3| so engage the stud 32 that its end portion 29 is free to yieldingly mov toward the finger It for engaging upon the adjacent end of the particular cigarette C presented in the fingers l6, It, for pressing the same at its other end into lighting engagement with the now energized element E.

Accordingly, in use, the shell compartment (1' being suitably filled with cigarettes C, the door I0 being latched in closed position, tray T being in normal position, and mouth 8 being open, a single cigarette, designated C, will roll through mouth 8 into, and be supported by, the fingers l6, l6.

Door l0 being opened, tray T, under the tension of springs, l4, oscillates forwardly for projecting Disposed in such space wall 3. It is to be I the fingers l6, l6, into dispensing position or into the position thereof best seen in Figure 3, when the particular cigarette C may be readily gripped and removed for consumption.

In such forward oscillation of tray T, the contact-member 23 engages with conducting arm 24, thereby closing the circuit and energizing the element E. At the same time, the strip S is camwise shifted with respect to the stud 32 and its free end-portion 29 thereby permitted to shift inwardly for engaging an end of the deposited cigarette C for pressing the same into lighting engagement at its opposite end with the now energized element E. At the same time, further, the plate P is shifted forwardly into closurewise position over the discharge opening or mouth 8.

The so presented and lighted cigarette C being removed, door 10 is swingably actuated to closure position and in such movement engages with and shifts the tray T rearwardly to normal position, in which latter position it is retained by again latching the door H1 in closure position. In such returning movement of the tray T, the circuit to the element E is again broken, as described, the free end-portion 29 of the pressure strip S is shifted outwardly under engagement of its camportion 3| with stud 32, and the plate P is shifted rearwardly for again opening mouth 8, so that a second cigarette C may freely roll into and upon the fingers l6, I6.

Thus the housed or contained cigarettes C may be successively removed and dispensed one by one from the shell or container A. The structure efficiently fulfills in every respect the objects stated, and it is to be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the'several parts of the structure may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invenion.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A cigarette container and dispenser comprising a shell for housing the cigarettes to be dispensed, the shell having a bottom wall provided with a discharge opening and an apertured front wall, in combination with means including a yieldingly oscillatory tray swingable through the aperture in the shell front wall for removin the, housed cigarettes successively one by one from the shell, and a closure for said aperture for releasably securing the tray in normal position for receiving a cigarette discharging through said opening. T

2. A cigarette container and dispenser comprising, in combination, a shell for housing the cigarettes to be dispensed, the shell having a fixed bottom wall provided with a discharge opening and an apertured front wall, a tray having a'main portion having cigarette-supporting fingers and hanger arms, the latter being pivotally attached to the shell for swingably disposing said fingers normally under said opening for receiving from said bottom wall a discharging cigarette and for projecting said fingers forwardly through said apertured front wall for dispensing said cigarette, and means including a member shiftable over said bottom wall for closing said discharge opening when the tray fingers are in dispensing position.

3. A cigarette container and dispenser comprising, in combination, a shell for housing the cigarettes to be dispensed, the shell having a fixed bottom wall provided with a discharge opening and an apertured front wall, a tray having a main portion having cigarette-supporting fingers and hanger arms, the latter being pivotally attached to the shell for swingably disposing said fingers normally under said opening for receiving from said bottom wall a discharging cigarette and for projecting said fingers forwardly through said apertured front Wall for dispensing said cigarette, springs engaging the tray and shell for yieldingly oscillating the tray into dispensing position, and means including a member shiftable over said bottom wall for closing said discharge opening when the tray fingers are in dispensing position.

4. A cigarette container and dispenser comprising, in combination, a shell for housing the cigarettes to be dispensed, the shell having a fixed bottom Wall provided with a discharge opening and an apertured front wall, and means for removing the housed cigarettes successively one by one from the shell, said means including a tray having a main portion having cigarette-supporting fingers and hanger arms, the latter being pivotally attached to the shell for swingably disposing said fingers normally in retracted position under said opening for receiving from said bottom wall a discharging cigarette and for projecting said fingers forwardly through said apertured front wall for dispensing said cigarette, springs engaging the tray and shell for yieldingly oscillating the tray into dispensing position, and means for releasably retaining the tray in normal retracted position.

5. A cigarette container and dispenser comprising, in combination, a shell for housing the cigarettes to be dispensed, the shell having a bottom wall provided with a discharge opening and an apertured front wall, means for removing the housed cigarettes successively one by one from the shell, said means including a tray having a main portion having cigarette-supporting fingers and hanger arms, the latter being pivotally attached to the shell for swingably disposing said fingers normally under said opening for receiving a discharging cigarette and for projecting said fingers forwardly through said apertured front wall for dispensing said cigarette, and springs engaging the tray and shell for yieldingly oscillating the tray into dispensing position, and means for releasably retaining the tray innormal position, said last means including a door hinged upon said front wall for closure of said aperture.

6. A cigarette container and dispenser com prising, in combination, a shell for housing the cigarettes to be dispensed, the shell having a fixed downwardly sloping bottom wall provided with a cigarette discharge opening, and means for removing the housed cigarettes successively one by one from the shell, said means'including a tray having,cigarette-supporting fingers normally disposed under said opening for receiving a cigarette discharging.therethrough from said bottom wall and oscillatorily disposedaway from prising a shell for housing the cigarettes to be dispensed, the shell comprising a bottom wall having a discharge opening and side walls having closed end slots in parallelism-with the bottom wall, in combination with means for removing the, housed cigarettes successively one by one from the shell, said means including a tray having fingers normally disposed under said opening for receiving a cigarette discharging therethrough and oscillatorily disposed away fromsaid opening fordispensing said cigarette, and means for closing said opening when the fingers are in dispensing position, said last means including a slide plateshiftable within the shelland having tongues working in said slots and having engagement with the tray. ,i.

8. A cigarette container and dispenser comprising a shell for housing the cigarettes to be dispensed, the shell comprising a bottom wall having a discharge opening and side Walls, having closed end slots in parallelism with the bottom wall, in combination with means for removing the housed cigarettes successively one by one from the shell, said means including a tray having cigarette-supporting fingers and hanger-arms, the

latter having registering openings and being pivotally attached to the shell and the fingers being normally disposed under said opening for receiving a cigarette discharging therethrough'and cs cillatorily disposed away from said'opening for dispensing said cigarette, and means for closing said opening when the fingers are in dispensing position, said last means including a slide "plate shiftable within the shell and having tongues working in the slots of the shell side wallsfand in the openings of said arms.

9. A cigarette container and dispenserconn prising, in combination, a shell for housing the cigarettes to be dispensed, the shell having a charge opening, means for removing'thehous'ed cigarettes successively one by one from the shell, said means including a tray having cigarette-sup porting fingers normally disposed under said opening for receiving a cigarette discharging therethrough and oscillatorily disposed away from said opening for dispensing said cigarette, a normally de-energized cigarette-lightingelement car: ried by the tray, and means for energizing said element when the fingers are in dispensing position for lighting the cigarette being dispensed.

10. A cigarette container and dispenser comprising, in combination, a shell for housing the cigarettes to be dispensed, the shell having a discharge opening, means for removing the housed cigarettes successively one by one from the shell, said means including a tray having cigarettesupporting fingers normally disposed under said opening for receiving a cigarette discharging therethrough and oscillatorily disposed away from said opening for dispensing said cigarette, a normally de-energized cigarette-lighting element carried by the tray, and means for energizing said element when the fingers are in dispensing position for lighting the cigarette being dispensed,

said last means including a contact-member on the tray adapted for connection with a source of current, the element having grounded connection on one side with said source and a contact-member on the tray electrically engageable with the first contact-member and element when the tray is in dispensing position.

11. A cigarette container and dispenser comprising, in combination, a shell for housing the cigarettes to be dispensed, the shell having a discharge opening, means for removing the housed cigarettes successively one by one from the shell, said means including a tray having cigarettesupporting fingers normally disposed under said opening for receiving a cigarette discharging therethrough and oscillatorily disposed away from said opening for dispensing said cigarette, a normally de-energized cigarette-lighting element carried by the tray, means for energizing said element when the fingers are in dispensing position for lighting the cigarette being dispensed, and means including a spring strip for endwise successively yieldingly engaging the dispensed cigarettes with the lighting element.

12. A cigarette container and dispenser comprising, in combination, a shell for housing the cigarettes to be dispensed, the shell including spaced side walls, a front Wall having an aperture, and a fixed cigarette-supporting bottom wall having a discharge opening, means for removing the housed cigarettes successively one by one from the shell, said means including an oscillatory tray having cigarette-supporting fingers swingable under said opening for receiving from said bottom Wall the discharging cigarettes and for dispensing the cigarettes forwardly through said apertured front wall, and means including an element carried by, and swingable with, the tray for lighting the cigarettes as they are successively dispensed.

13. A cigarette container and dispenser comprising, in combination, a shell for housing the cigarettes to be dispensed, the shell including spaced side walls, a front Wall having an aperture, and a fixed cigarette-supporting bottom wall having a discharge opening, means for removing the housed cigarettes successively one by one from the shell, said means including an oscillatory tray having cigarette-supporting fingers swingable under said opening for receiving from said bottom wall the discharging'cigarettes and for iii) dispensing the cigarettes forwardly through said apertured front wall, means including an element carried by, and swingable with, the tray for lighting the cigarettes as they are successively dispensed, and means for endwise successively engaging the finger-supported cigarettes with the lighting element.

14. A cigarette container and dispenser comprising, in combination, a shell for housing the cigarettes to be dispensed, the shell including spaced side walls, a front wall having an aperture, and a fixed cigarette-supporting bottom wall having a discharge opening, means for removing the housed cigarettes successively one by onefrom the shell, said means including an oscillatory tray having cigarette-supporting fingers swingable under said opening for receiving from said bottom wall the discharging cigarettes and for dispensing the cigarettes forwardly through said apertured front wall, means including an element carried by, and swingable with, the tray for lighting the cigarettes as they are successively dispensed, means for endwise successively engaging the finger-supported cigarettes with the lighting element, said last means including a spring strip also carried by, and swingable with, the tray and having a cam-portion, and a stud fixed upon the shell bottom Wall engaging the cam-portion of the strip during oscillatory movements of the tray.

15. A cigarette container and dispenser comprising, in combination, a shell for housing the cigarettes to be dispensed, the shell including spaced side walls, a front wall having an aperture, and a fixed cigarette-supporting bottom wall sloping downwardly toward the front wall and at its front margin being spaced from the upper edge of said aperture in the provision of a cigarette discharge opening, means including a yieldingly swingable tray having projecting fingers and hanger arms, the arms being pivoted to the side walls of the shell for movement of the fingers under said discharge opening for successively receiving the cigarettes from said bottom wall and dispensing the same forwardly through said aperture, and a plate adjustably shiftable over said bottom wall by and with said hanger arms for closing said discharge opening when the tray is in cigarette-dispensing position.

RICHARD MAYER. 

